In 2026, more than one Italian teenager in three (37.1%) between 14 and 17 years old he used at least one nicotine product in the last 30 days. Translated into numbers, it means that approx 851,400 boys and girls of school age use traditional cigarettes, heated tobacco or electronic cigarettes. This photograph was taken by the new investigation of National Center for Addiction and Doping of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS)which paints a clear picture: the habits of younger people are changing rapidly, increasingly orienting themselves towards technological devices.
What kids smoke: the dominance of e-cigs
The most evident data for 2026 is the consolidation of electronic cigarettes (e-cig) as the absolute favorite product among very young people. Looking at usage percentages over the previous 30 days:
- Electronic cigarettes: 30.8% (a slight increase compared to 29.9% in 2025).
- Heated tobacco: 22.8% (remained stable).
- Traditional cigarettes: 22.3% (down from 24.5% the previous year).
Consumption increases with age. Passing from 14 to 17 years oldthe use of traditional cigarettes is skipped from 12.7% to 32.0% and that of heated tobacco from 13.7% to 33.1%. E-cigs, however, maintain their lead in every age group, going from 22.8% of fourteen-year-olds to 36.6% of seventeen-year-olds. It is not always an occasional use: approximately a third of consumers (34% for traditional ones, 37.8% for heated tobacco and 31.8% for e-cigs) use these products in usual wayfor at least 20 days a month.
The higher rate among girls and the phenomenon of “polyconsumption”: the data
The survey shows that today the consumption of products with nicotine is more common among girls. The 44.2% of female students use at least one product, versus 30.3% of male peers. This female prevalence is found in all three main product categories (traditional, heated and e-cig).
Another relevant phenomenon is the polyconsumption. Young people tend not to limit themselves to just one device: among those who use at least one tobacco or nicotine product, 69.5% declare that they use two or more different types at the same time.
The success of e-cigs among minors is strongly linked to aromas. 80.8% of consumers prefer fruit-flavoured liquids, followed by minty, sweet or inspired by famous drinks. However, there is little awareness of what is inhaled: although l86.3% of those who vape are directly exposed to nicotine6.4% of young people admit that they don’t even know whether the product they are using contains it or not.
Alongside vaping, a new category of products is also making its way: vaping nicotine sachets (nicotine pouches). In 2026 the 9.1% of students (about 208,800) declared that he had tried them at least once, while regular monthly use stands at 3.3% (around 75,300 kids). Unlike cigarettes and vaping, in this specific case the main consumers are males.
Associated factors and control gaps
Smoking or vaping for young people is frequently accompanied by other frailties. In fact, the data reveal that students who use cigarettes (traditional or electronic) and heated tobacco show levels of generalized anxiety (43.0%) and of depression (38.3%) higher than their peers who do not smoke (stationary at 26.7% and 26.1% respectively).
As for the link with alcohol, almost eight out of ten young nicotine users (78.3%) they have drank alcohol in the last month, against the 28.1% of non-smokers. The difference is more marked drunkennesswhich involved more than half of those who smoke or vape (54.8%) against a 4.4% of those who do not use these products
There Italian law strictly prohibits the sale of tobacco and liquids with nicotine to minors under 18 years of agebut ISS data shows that official supply channels remain easily accessible. Your local bar or tobacconist is the primary source for about the 39% of kids, regardless of the product chosen. Particularly emblematic is the data relating to electronic cigarettes: almost six out of ten boys (57.9%) declare that the retailer he never refused to sell them the product because of their age.
This facilitated access has a direct impact on everyday school life. Despite the bans imposed within institutionsbeyond the80% of students interviewed said they had seen their classmates regularly using nicotine products at school over the past month.
